Online admissions leave no room for agents, student unions

By Niranjan Medhekar |Posted 30-Jun-2014

While principals breathe easy, agents admit that CAP has rendered their clout over the admission procedure useless

Thanks to the transparency introduced by the online Centralised Admission Procedure (CAP) for class XI, it has become next to impossible for admission agents and student unions to use their influence in securing seats. While college principals are breathing a sigh of relief, a few of the agents admitted that their clout over the admission procedure has almost been rendered useless by the new online system.

VENTING THEIR IRE: An angry mob of students, parents and members from various students unions gathered outside the SP College to protest cancellation of the alleged backdoor class XI admissions by the CAP panel last year. File Pic

Suman Shinde, deputy director of education (Pune division) and CAP chairperson, declared the first CAP merit list on Saturdayevening. She appealed to the students and parents to be wary of individuals promising seats at reputed colleges, suggesting that this year such manipulation was impossible.

“Admission data of every junior college is available at the fingertips, as this year the entire admission procedure has shifted from manual to online. So outside elements can’t play any role in it,” Shinde said.

When asked about the management quotas, which opens the window for backdoor admissions, she said, “Until last year, due to manual procedure of maintaining records, we used to get college-wise admission data late. But the scenario has changed significantly this year after the admission procedure was shifted online. Also, number of seats belonging to management quotahas decreased this year because several junior colleges have surrendered their quotas to the CAP.”

Previous controversyLast year’s class XI admissions at SP College were embroiled in controversy after allegations were levelled against thecollege for providing backdoor admissions. The controversy resulted in resignation of the then college principal, followed by cancellation of all the alleged illegal admissions. Student activist Suresh Jain said, “This year the entire admission process seems to have become watertight. Also, colleges are surrendering their five per cent management quota seats to the CAP. This has made it even more difficult for outside elements to tamper with the admission procedure.”

Not so pleasedWhile principals and activists lauded the CAP, Shiv Sena’s Yuva Sena city president Kiran Sali voiced his objection against it and colleges surrendering their management quota seats. “Why are junior colleges ceding their management quotas? These quotas should remain with the colleges, as admitting students of their choice is their right. Making class XI admissions through CAP is wrong and the new online procedure has several flaws,” he said.